Connect students directly to the concept in a personal way. Capture students' attention by initiating a group problem-solving activity before delivery of instruction. Begin with a situation that is familiar to students and builds on what they already know. Construct a learning experience that allows diverse and personal student responses. Facilitate the work of cooperative teams of students.

Whale sounds, size and movement experience

Objective: To create an experience to connect students to whales through physical concept of size, auditory sounds, and guided imagery. Only in the fourth activity are the children told specifically that they are learning about whales.

Activity:
1. Students relax while lying on floor on their backs, breathing up as whales do from blow holes. The teacher has them imagine how it would feel to float like this while they listen to a cassette tape of whale voices. The teacher does not tell them what the sounds are.
2. Students compare their body size to a 15 foot tape on the floor (representing a humpback whale fin).
3. Students compare themselves standing, lying down, stretching to a 100 foot length on the playground. Students guess what things, living and non-living, might be this size. A small car is parked at the end of the 100 feet to represent the tongue of a blue whale.
4. Using information gathered from available resources, the teacher tells whales stories from a whale's point of view, creating a visual, emotional experience for the children. There are numerous excellent children's literature selections available.

Assessment: Participation, involvement, curiosity, active comparing and active listening, and contribution to the group.